October Ends On High Note

The Fasig-Tipton October Fall Yearlings Sale concluded its three-day run with a vibrant session and, by the close of business Wednesday, the auction's results were largely in line with the sale's four-day 2015 edition.

“I think overall, from start to finish, we had a solid and consistent marketplace,” commented Fasig-Tipton's President Boyd Browning, Jr. “And that is what you are hoping for in October. It's not going to be a sale where there are gigantic fireworks, but certainly there was a really strong market for quality individuals. Throughout the three days, if you led a nice horse through, there was tremendous competition throughout the sale.”

Browning continued, “Probably more encouraging was a strengthening, to an extent, of the middle and lower ends of the market. We still wish there were more buyers and more participation at those lower levels, but certainly it had a better feel this year and it seemed like there was an increase in buyers, and an increase in foreign buyers, on the lower end this year. All in all, I thought it was a very solid three days.”

Wednesday's session saw 280 yearlings sell for $10,222,400. The average was $36,509 and the median was $20,000. A total of 777 head sold during the three-day sale for a gross of $25,691,500. The average of $33,065 dipped 3.9% from the four-day 2015 figure and the median fell 3.3% to $14,500. The buy-back rate for the sale was 25.1%, down from 30.8% a year ago.

A colt by Bernardini (hip 1034) brought Wednesday's top price, and the co-highest price of the auction, when selling to Stonestreet Stables' John Moynihan for $350,000. The yearling was consigned by Brookdale Sales on behalf of Godolphin.

Last year's top price was $410,000, one of 18 to bring $200,000 or more. Seventeen bettered that mark this year.

The results help prove the growing legitimacy of the October sale, according to Browning.

“I think this sale has matured and it provides a viable alternative for consignors,” Browning said. “And buyers love coming here, too, because consignors are realistic in setting their reserves at the last yearling sale of the year. It is a really solid, legitimate marketplace.”

Bernardini Colt to Stonestreet

Stonestreet Stables' John Moynihan signed the ticket at $350,000, matching the auction's top price, to secure a colt by Bernardini out of Desert Gazelle (Smart Strike) during Wednesday's final session of the Fasig October sale. The yearling (hip 1034) was consigned by Brookdale Sales on behalf of his breeder, Godolphin.

“He's a really gorgeous horse and we've had a lot of luck with Bernardini,” Moynihan said. “He is a little light on the female side, but he's such a good physical we thought we'd take the chance.”

Desert Gazelle is out of a daughter of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Status (A.P. Indy), the dam of multiple Grade I placed Dunkirk.

“I knew he'd be expensive,” Moynihan added. “But when you see one like that you have to be prepared to give the money for them. Stonestreet will own him in a partnership, but we don't who know yet. We'll have to put it together.”

Joe Seitz of Brookdale Sales was extremely impressed with the yearling.

“I thought that this colt was a perfect individual,” Seitz said. “He was extremely athletic. He had a great walk and he never got tired after all the activity of almost a week being out here. He's the kind of horse that I'm hoping and expecting we'll see on Breeders' Cup weekend either a year or two from now. And I'm grateful that he's going to Stonestreet because he'll be in great hands and have every chance to succeed.”

Godolphin's John Ferguson purchased Desert Gazelle for $400,000 out of the 2010 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. The Bernardini yearling is her second foal. She produced a colt by Ghostzapper this year and she was bred back to Tiznow.

Also on behalf of Godolphin, Brookdale sold a filly by Malibu Moon (hip 144) for $300,000 during Monday's opening session of the October sale. The relationship between Brookdale and Godolphin goes back decades, according to Seitz.

“We've had a relationship with Godolphin for over 20 years,” he said. “When they used to board their mares at various farms, we were one of those farms before they bought Darley at Jonabell. So the relationship goes back to those days. They've been great clients and friends for many years.”

Tapit Colt a Sale…Eventually

Originally led out of the Fasig October ring unsold, a Tapit colt (hip 942) sold privately a few hours later for $300,000 to DeMeric Sales, agent.

“Nick [DeMeric] put a partnership together and he'll be going to the 2-year-old sales,” confirmed Mike Recio of South Point Sales, which consigned the strapping chestnut on behalf of breeders Doug and Felicia Branham. “His reserve was $300,000 and that's what we got. We would always like a little bit more for a Tapit, but hopefully he'll reward the partnership at the 2-year-old sale.”

Out of graded stakes winner Cherokee Queen (Cherokee Run), the yearling is a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed Entertainer (Malibu Moon). Wednesday was the second time the chestnut had gone through the sales ring. He was unsold at $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale in August.

“I was surprised at Saratoga and I was very surprised here,” Recio admitted. “Even at the top market, I don't care what people tell you, they don't all bring what you anticipate. $200,000 was breaking even on a horse like that with a $150,000 stud fee. If it was a filly, it would be a foregone conclusion that we'd be racing, but Mr. Branham is a commercial breeder and it's a colt and we don't usually race colts. We still have the mare and she is in foal to American Pharoah.”

The Branhams purchased Cherokee Queen, carrying Entertainer, for $365,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

Bernardini Filly Goes South with North Ocala-based pinhooker Willy North went to $280,000 to secure a filly by Bernardini during Wednesday's final session of the Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“She'll probably going to the Miami sale at Gulfstream,” North said after signing the ticket on hip 1013.

Asked what he liked about the yearling, North said, “Everything. What's not to like? She is beautiful with a lot of pedigree and a lot of residual value. She looks like she'll be precocious–maybe a horse that would win first-time out even. She looks like a horse that should work in :10 flat or :9 4/5. There was a lot of class about her in the back ring. Her conformation was spectacular. I just couldn't fault the filly anywhere, including the pedigree. I think it was a great buy to pinhook.”

The bay filly is out of the unraced Dancing Alone (Kingmambo), a full-sister to multiple Grade I winner Voodoo Dancer, and the dam of graded stakes winner Dancing Solo (Giant's Causeway). The yearling, who RNA'd for $370,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, was consigned by Bridie Harrison on behalf of breeder Peter Blum.

North, who purchased I Spent It (Super Saver) for $65,000 at the 2013 October sale before reselling the future graded stakes winner for $600,000 at the following year's Fasig-Tipton Florida sale, admitted the selectivity in the juvenile market last spring has had a carry-over effect into the yearling sales this fall.

“With the whole 2-year-old market last year, the trend was quality,” North commented. “If you didn't have a quality horse with a quality workout, there was nobody there for that horse–it was an all-or-nothing game. We did well last year and have done well for the last 10 years. Markets are up and down, but if you buy a nice horse, the market doesn't seem to effect you as much. This year, our mind set was to only buy horses we couldn't live without. We didn't even have a number amount in mind, just to go to the sale and pick the horses out that we absolutely loved and to buy them if they were in a range where we could leave some meat on the bone and sell them to the next guy and make a fair profit.”

North and his veterinarian wife Emily opened a small animal clinic in Ocala this year and, while he preps his horses himself, he sells through Eddie Woods.

“Eddie Woods has been selling our horses for us the last three years,” North explained. “We ship them in to Eddie and he finishes them out and sells them for us.”

Union Rags Colt to Midwest Thoroughbreds

A colt by Union Rags will join Richard and Karen Papiese's Midwest Thoroughbreds after selling for $285,000 late in Wednesday's final session of the Fasig October sale. Consigned by Darby Dan Farm, the yearling is out of the unraced Haysee (Orientate) and is a half to stakes winner and Grade I placed Uncle Lino (Uncle Mo). The colt's second dam is Oatsee (Unbridled), the dam of Grade I winners Shackleford (Foresty) and Lady Joanne (Orientate).

“He was a well-balanced horse. He's just a nice horse who is very athletic,” said Midwest's Jim Schenk after signing the ticket on hip 1214. “We're trying to buy nice horses and I thought he was one of the better yearlings in the sale.”

Midwest Thoroughbreds has campaigned sprint champion Work All Week (City Zip), as well as GI Arlington Million winner The Pizza Man (English Channel).

Bred by AJ Suited, the yearling RNA'd for $135,000 as a weanling at last year's Keeneland November sale.